INTERVIEW - HAKIM (Optical's Sir Hakimi)

HAKiM

OPTICAL'S SIR HAKIMI

COURTESY | www.hakimoptical.ca/about-us-company-v2/

Hakim Optical began more than 45 years ago with Sir Hakimi grinding lenses for the Canadian wholesale market. His craft was learned, as a youth, in his native Iran and honed, in subsequent years, grinding lenses in Germany and then camera lenses in Switzerland. Attracted by the excitement of retail opportunities, Mr. Hakim began to pass the great deals he gave to wholesalers on to the public. Since, Sir Hakimi was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and Knighted to The Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta.

INTRODUCTION:

The 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran ended 25,000 years of monarchy, resulting in the establishment of the Islamic Republic Government. Due to the changes in the political and social environment, millions of Iranians left their Homeland.

This historical event has been the largest Iranians migration in over 1000 years. This is the story of one who left Iran many years before 1979.

INTERVIEWER:

Ever since I immigrated to Canada I found myself surrounded by marquees signs, advertising messages and the marketing glitters of North America but in Toronto one sign stood out amongst the rest for me `The Orange Frames of Hakim Optical` Well not the frame but as much as the Eastern Name Hakim.

You see when you move to a new place, it’s comforting to see something that reminds you of Home. So I had to ask “Is there a face behind that Name? Or is that big orange sign just a marketing tool use to attract Middle Eastern customers”

Hakim a Vision of Success narrated by the Interviewer:

Many years past and I forgot about my curiosity until on a social event I was introduced to Mr. Hakim and after he learnt about my curiosity he asked me to call him. I called Mr. Hakim and to my surprise he invited me to his Home. I should mention that Mr. Hakim is actually named Karim Hakimi. As we walked through his house I was amazed, especially when he casually mentioned the city of Toronto named a Street after him but had he done to deserve this Honor. I intended to find out.

MBE: Mr. Hakim can you please start by telling the readers about your childhood.

Mr. Hakim:

I was in Born a southern part of Tehran, it was not necessarily poor neighbourhood but it was commercial part of Iran. All the bazaars and transactions and the shoes stores and jewellery stores are next to each other for miles. And then there are some side’s streets that were residential. I was born in one of those side residential streets. I use to sleep next to my mother until I was 6 to 7 years of age. She was the most comforting feeling I had and best mental support just to lay down in the end of the day on her side and that was the only real and pleasant thing I can think off. Once my Father separated there was no longer any support from my father side. Well at the earliest age you realise that you have no one to support you.

MBE: What are your earliest memories of working?

Mr. Hakim:

I started working on and off at the age of maybe 8 I would say and yeah there was an animal market which is a huge circle and a huge place where people bring their Horses, Donkeys and even Lambs and Sheep’s to sell. I started going there to wash these things. I was offered to sit on these horses and donkeys to ride within the circle and for that I got a penny. Very often because there was no settle and I was small I use to keep slipping of the Horse or the Donkey and came home with a broken head. Occasionally when the buyer saw my broken head he would give me a penny extra. Probably one of my early achievement that I can go home and give two penny to my mother and see that smile on her face. She would wash me and clean up the blood on my face and on my head.

Hakim: There was a black smith not very far away from the house and there put me to work for that black smith. First of all I had to take pieces of metal from one Area, put it in the other Area and so on. The other job that I had was to blow his furnace by a leather blower. All day long I would blow this furnace and if I was exhausted and couldn’t do it, the blacksmith would punish me. These were bitter moments and bitter days in my life.

MBE: What was next for you after the job at the blacksmith?

Mr. Hakim:

And I suffered and blew his furnace until I fainted, until I couldn’t do it and he would slapped me and that slap use to make me faint and when he saw me laying down, there brought my mother and then took me to a doctor.

The doctor would say the guy is too light, too skinny, first of all he to under nourished and second he is too small for that job.

Hakim’s Daughter: My father has shared with me his experience growing up, his childhood experiences. A lot of his stories of his experience has been something that he repeats. He has utilized his experiences as examples to teach us a new perspective. For example the commitment he had to work at such a young age and to work as a means of survival was supposed to means of educating or to earn some extra cash.

MBE: After collapsing for being over worked, Hakim decided that it was time for a career change. Good thing too because his next job was the most influential in his life.

Mr. Hakim:

The Next Job, next guy for the dump was a guy who use to take window glass and one by one we would put a convex or a concave curve on the lens and it becomes magnifier or a minify. I use to make lenses for this guy all day long and I was so happy.

MBE: Mr. Hakimi can you please tell us how your work life started in Canada.

Mr. Hakim:

I started working for less than a year for another company and then I started my own factory on the Elm Street and there was a hotel shut down because of hail reason and I rented the dancing hall of the hotel for $200 a month and that is where I made benches and made some machines. From there I started getting contracts from sellers to produce glasses and from there it all started. I went on the personally train more then 2500 employees and I believe the environment and close knit family like work force we have has contributed a lot towards Hakim Optical becoming the second to none largest producer of glasses.

MBE: Mr. Hakim can you shed some light on the fruits of your success.

Mr. Hakimi:

Over the years along with success I have developed a passion for luxury and a passion for the finer things in life. I enjoy that I can have luxurious things that I could not have in the past. At first I could only see these things in the movies but now I am blessed that I can afford them. I have purchased my own boat and like taking out to the waters where I can deep sea dive and relax and enjoy myself.

MBE: What other project apart from Hakim Optical keeps you busy?

Mr. Hakimi:

These days I have one foot in Canada and one foot in the South American country Belize. In Belize I bought an Island and some land and I am developing a five star resort. Apart from the resort I am also developing apartment buildings, large dining halls and 260 ft long swimming pools. The resort and island will be very popular amongst the wealthy and divers.

MBE: Hakimi you are well known for your immense contribution towards charity can you please tell the readers a little about your work in this field?

Mr. Hakimi:

I have been a large supporter of the Fighting Blindness charity and also took part in their Ride for Sight event in which I drove a bike along with many others who supported the cause. I have also worked with dozens of charities both in Canada and abroad to help those with impaired vision all over the world. I also try to extend this kind of giving to the people that work for me in Hakim Optical because of the respect and admiration I have for them. Twice a year I also throw a party for the whole staff.